Florida Marlins have mild interest in a Dontrelle Willis re-union

Apparently the Marlins are indeed considering a re-union with Dontrelle Willis, but don’t get too excited just yet about the D-Train rolling back into South Florida.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed “mild interest” in Willis, who was designated for assignment Saturday by the Tigers, but it’s a subject that is being debated by the front office.
But the team obviously must decide if Willis is worth bringing back.

He won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2003, helping the Marlins in the World Series . Two years later, he finished second in the NL Cy Young voting after setting a Marlins record with 22 wins.

But he hasn’t been the same guy since he was traded to the Detroit Tigers after the 2007 season with Miguel Cabrera. He struggled miserably with the Tigers, going down to the minors and being DL’s for an anxiety disorder. Willis was 1-2 with a 4.98 ERA this year for the Tigers. He allowed 29 walks and 33 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings over nine appearances.

The Tigers have 10 days to trade or release Willis. If they traded him, they’d have to absorb a good chunk of prorated minimum of the roughly $8.2 million he is still owed this year. The Tigers could also release him, which would allow the Marlins or any other team to snap him up for the prorated minimum if the Tigers ultimately release him.

Just before the Marlins obtained Nate Robertson from Detroit n late March, they considered Willis at the time, according to my colleague Juan Rodriguez, who first reported Florida’s latest interest in Willis earlier today.

Willis was a fan favorite in South Florida, so he might actually help the Marlins — they’re among the bottom-dwellers in attendance — sell a few more tickets. But is he worth it? Remember all the fuss and excitement in 2005 when the Marlins brought Al Leiter back, and that turned out to be a bust.

But then again, the Marlins’ bullpen has been struggling of late, so maybe Willis is a fit in long-relief role. Maybe he finds his South Florida comfort zone, gets his act together and provides a much-needed spark.

[…] o. The Diamondbacks have had discussions with the Tigers about acquiring Dontrelle Willis, and the pitcher’s agent told the Arizona Republic the D’backs are a team Willis would prefer to play for. The price shouldn’t be too steep after Detroit designated the struggling lefty for assignment last week, though of course that could change if there are other serious suitors. (Willis’ former team, the Marlins, has “mild” interest.) […]